Friday, December 30, 2011

365 degrees, not 100

The temperature range from water's freezing point to
its boiling point should be sectioned into some
number of degrees other than 100. I say this because
the Celcius equivalent of 0 degrees Kelvin is -273.15,
which seems like a meaningless number, lacking beauty
and symmetry, like maybe there's a smoother fit to be
found - some number that reflects the underlying
numerical perfection of the universe. I thought the
number of days in a year might be a good place to
start. So, 365.256363004 (the number of days in Earth's
year), multiplied by 2.7315 (absolute zero's
proportionate temperature below freezing compared
to boiling), results in a new value of -997.6977555454
degrees for absolute zero. This may not look any more
elegant or symmetrical than 273.15, until you notice
that it's quite close to 999.999, or 1000.

Why bring a time-related number into a question of
temperature, you ask? Okay, I admit - proclaim, even -
lateral thinking may have snuck into my idea here, as
it often does.

Well, there it is, my latest product of so-called
insomnia.

(for entertainment purposes only?)